Product Description

Worn out and discouraged after his unsuccessful bid for president, former congressman Mark Stedman heads back to his home state of Pennsylvania. There he meets plainspoken Amish farmer Josiah Stoltzfus, and decides that he should be leading the country! Can Mark convince Josiah to run, and bring some much-needed common sense to America's halls of power?

Publisher's Description

When former Congressman Mark Stedman throws in the towel on his presidential campaign, his only choice is to return to his home state and decide how to spend the rest of his life until he meets Josiah Stoltzfus, an Amish farmer from Pennsylvania.

Stedman learns more from Josiah in a few hours than in his many years in office. He comes to the conclusion that someone like Josiah should be running the country. Not a career politician, but someone with a little old-fashioned common sense, someone whos not afraid of rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty. Someone like Josiah Stoltzfus.

Using his old campaign headquarters for a base, Mark Stedman determines to introduce a new candidate to America. He pledges to do everything in his power to make sure Josiah gets elected. But can a plain man of faith turn the tide of politics and become the leader of America, and what will he have to risk to do it?

Author Bio

Emmy-nominated and Dove-nominated writer Martha Bolton is also the author of over eighty books of inspiration and humor. She wrote the libretto for The Confession Musical, based on Beverly Lewis' popular Amish trilogy, as well as the libretto for Half-Stitched, the Musical, based on Wanda Brumstetter's newest Amish romance. Martha was a staff writer for Bob Hope for over fifteen years, writing humor to entertain the public and presidents alike.

I loved this book! Author Martha Bolton kept me page turning as fast as my eyes could read. She hit the nail on the head for a delightful entertaining wishful thinking read!

Was it a coincidence that Mark Stedman had veered off course due to his GPS system and an accident landing him smack dab into Amish territory where he had his first encounter with Josiah Stoltzfus? I think not! God does work in mysterious ways.

The way the characters of Josiah and Mark handled the stress of campaigning and mudslinging from their opponents' was refreshing to say the least.

I started wondering what would happen if we had a Josiah/Mark team running for President/Vice President in our Country. What a fascinating run that would be!

What if an Amish man could be convinced to run for president? That's the question Martha Bolton addresses in her latest book, JOSIAH FOR PRESIDENT. The result is a fun, funny tale that had me laughing many times, and turning pages as quickly as I could to see what happened next.

Congressman Mark Stedman pulls out of his bed for the White House when his standing in the polls flags. But then a random (maybe?) mishap leave him stranded in Pennsylvania Amish country. There he meets Josiah Stolzfus, a Plain man of integrity and wit. Before long, Mark comes to believe that Josiah is exactly what this country needs - and he signs him up as a write-in candidate for president!

Though Martha Bolton has written over 40 books, this is her first novel, and I think it's a terrific debut. Mark is a realistic character, and though I have no personal experience with politics, he resonated with me. I LOVE his arguments with the Lady of the Dashboard (his GPS). And yet, Bolton gives us an insider's view to political campaining that left me wondering if perhaps she'd run for office herself sometime.

The timing couldn't be more appropriate, with the US Presidential election going on right now. Don't think this is a "statement" book, though. It's just a fun story with a timely setting and theme. And since Bolton is a professional comedian, she pulls off the humor masterfully!

So many good fiction stories begin with that question. What if - an Amish man were elected President of the United States? What if a campaign was run with honesty and integrity, if a candidate always answered reporters' questions with truth without considering what the impact might be on the polls? What if our nation returned to a common sense approach, and only spent the dollars it had to spend?

Josiah for President takes on those questions with a humorous look at the write in campaign of Josiah Stoltsfus, an Amish farmer from Lancaster County, PA.

The story begins with former Congressman Mark Stedman as he withdraws reluctantly from his Presidential race, his lifetime dream. He truly wants to turn the country around, from high unemployment, political apathy and discouragement. But he didn't get the poll numbers and he's heading home to Wisconsin when a few interesting interchanges with his GPS land him in a ditch on a remote farm in Lancaster. He becomes friends with Josiah, his rescuer and his respect for Josiah's way of life grows as they have many illuminating conversations. As Mark finally returns home, he is being pressured by his party to endorse his former opponent; a man he knows will be a terrible president. He finally ends up in front of the microphones to endorse someone_and surprises himself when he announces Josiah. What follows is a story that holds your attention and in true Martha Bolton style, provides some great giggles along the way.

I was intrigued by the idea of Josiah for President, and knowing it was written by the humorous Martha Bolton only added to my anticipation! I wasn't disappointed. You will be entertained but you will also be challenged; you may even begin to come up with a few more "what if's" of your own. As the country heads quickly towards another Presidential election in a climate similar to the setting in the story, being provoked to think more deeply can only be a good thing. I wonder if maybe that's what Martha had in mind all along?!

I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for my fair and honest review.